Name for new middle school could be chosen Wednesday
3 possible names for Upper Mission school to be considered at board meeting
Kelowna’s newest middle school could have a name by Wednesday night.
The school board’s planning and facilities committee chose Canyon Falls Middle, Myra Canyon Middle and Ki-Low-Na Middle as potential names for the school, which will be built on Frost Road in the Upper Mission.
At Wednesday’s board meeting, trustees will discuss the names and approve one of them, approve a different name or request additional information.
At a recent information meeting at Okanagan Mission Secondary, parents and community members weighed in on the naming of the school.
Seven people were in favour of Canyon Falls, while three were in favour of Myra Canyon and one was in favour of Ki-Low-Na.
One liked the idea of an Indigenous name but was not sure about Ki-Low-Na, and another pointed out Myra Canyon was too far away from the school.
Board chairwoman Moyra Baxter said she liked the name Canyon Falls, but any of the three would be a good choice.
“Maybe there’s another one that no one has thought of yet,” she said.
Concerns were also raised at the information meeting about the school being too small.
“That is a constant concern,” said Baxter. “I think nearly every school we’ve opened has had to have portables out right away.”
However, the new middle school property likely will not have room for portables, she said.
“We’re hoping that when it opens it will be OK for a while,” said Baxter. “Obviously if we keep on growing the way we are, we’ll just have to keep building schools, won’t we?”
Nearby residents also voiced concerns the new school would change their view for the worse.
“We think they’ll be looking over the top of the school,” said Baxter. “It’s not going to be a roof that’s covered in all sorts of nasty-looking things; it’s going to be a reasonable-looking roof, I think.”
The school is expected to be ready for occupancy in September 2019.